Delivering environmental and social benefits from agriculture and forestry in a changing policy context.

On 7 February, more than 120 people representing national authorities, EU institutions, the agricultural and forestry sectors, academics as well as NGOs and think tanks, gathered in Brussels to contribute to an evolving policy debate in Europe through discussions around the key lessons and messages of the PEGASUS project.

"Soil quality – A critical review" is the title of a new article published in "Soil Biology & Biochemistry". The article deals with soil quality and related concepts, besides it identifies the most frequently used soil quality indicators under agricultural land use.

Horizon, the EU Research & Innovation Magazine, pays attention to the developments on the soil quality app for smartphones. Today, 13 February 2018, an article entitled "Cultural cross-fertilisation to rescue soils" was published. Dr. Luuk Fleskens explains that wheat growing areas in north-eastern China are comparable to the conditions in Poland. So, farmers can learn from each other how to manage their soils and crops. The soil quality app makes it possible to share the best practice farming techniques with farmers from different cultures and traditions, to help them to increase the quality of their soils. The article was written by Jude Gonzalez. Read it here.

Professor Coen Ritsema of the Wageningen University explains in a video the goals of the iSQAPER project. He stated that the iSQAPER project is focussing on trying to improve the quality of soils and in the same time maintain or increase crop productivity. Multiple problems exists related to soil quality. In Europe there are several soil threats ranging from water and wind erosion, soil degradation, desertification and soil compaction to flooding, landslides and salinization.

Gottlieb Basch from the University of Évora was our host during the WP-leader meeting from 25-26 January, 2018 in Évora, Portugal. During this meeting the WP-leaders gave their feedback about the activities carried out so far. Besides they unfold and finetuned their plans for the near future. Registrated partners can download the presentations directly from the download area or through the table following the Project activities menu item.

Our next Work Package Leader meeting will be held from 25 - 26 January, 2018 in Évora, Portugal . This meeting is organized by Gotlieb Basch and colleagues from the University of Évora. Meeting information regarding logistics can be pdf
downloaded here
(567 KB).